The More Things Change
by tjsmklvr
Summary: AU - Set in April 1987 with flashbacks from May 1986. AU - After nearly a year, Lee returns home to find things do, in-fact change
1. Default Chapter

**The More Things Change…**

Friday, April 17, 1987

_"Amanda! Amanda!" His urgent voice drifted into her subconscious _

_"Hmmm? Lee?" She awoke when it hit her who was calling to her. It couldn't be Lee; he'd been missing for almost a year. She couldn't be so lucky as to have him returned to her unharmed. Could she? _

_"Yeah, it's me. Let me in will 'ya? It's cold out here." _

_She pulled herself from her warm bed and headed for the window. She quietly opened the window as not to wake her mother and boys. How would she explain the midnight marauder coming through her bedroom window? _

_"Lee, oh my gosh! You were gone so long! I thought you'd never come back to me. Where have you been? What happened to you?" Her rambling continued until she was silenced with his lips. At that moment, it didn't matter what the answers to her questions were; she had everything she needed right then and there. _

_"Oh, Amanda!" He whispered in her ear. "Amanda!" _

"Amanda, are you listening to me?" 

"Hmm? Oh, I'm sorry, Josh." She had thought that after nearly a year, her thoughts would no longer drift to her former partner and best friend or at least not as often as they did. He had been such a huge part of her life over the past four years, even if he wasn't physically a part of the last year. But now, she had a new partner. Joshua Martin was nearly 6'2" with wavy, dark brown hair and eyes to match. A few years younger than herself and fresh out of Station One when she met him, she had to show him the ins and outs of the Agency. It was her turn to be the senior agent and she seemed to enjoy it. No longer was she the one being told to wait in the car. She was the one deciding who should stay and who should go. 

"I was just asking if you needed a refill on your coffee. Is something on your mind?" He strode across the room to the coffee maker. Picking up his mug he began pouring, as he noticed the look of anguish on her face. 

"I'd love some, thanks. I…I was just thinking." 

He walked over to her desk situated near the door and filled her cup. "Anything I can help you with?"

"Thank you, but I need to work this out on my own." She hoped the smile she gave him was enough to let him know she appreciated his offer but didn't want him to press the issue. 

A moment later she got up from her desk and walked into the open vault. She began pulling files from her list as she tried to focus on the job at hand and off her lost partner. 

"Amanda?"

Walking out of the vault carrying several files in her hand, she looked expectantly at him. "Yeah, Josh?" 

"Have you given any thought to what I asked you earlier?" 

She looked down at the files briefly trying to gain strength for the conversation to come. "You mean about going out…on a real date together?" 

"Yeah, that." He nervously loosened his tie. "You know, I think you'd like me if you gave me a chance."

"I already like you, Josh." She sat down at her desk and started sorting through the files. 

"I know, I just mean…that you know…well, that you may like me in a different way. I mean…besides liking me as your partner." He got up out of his chair and walked over to the window. 

"It's just that –." She was cut off before she could continue.

"And I know what you're going to say." He turned to face her. "Yes, I'm a few years younger than you, but age shouldn't matter. Besides, you can't stop living…he wouldn't want that for you." He was now kneeling in front of her with what appeared to be all the hope in the world in his eyes. 

She looked up at his last comment and sighed. "I know. Okay." 

"Okay? So you'll go?" A huge smile broke out on his face, which caused her to smile in return. 

"Yes, I'll go. But neither of us are going to be going anywhere if we don't get these files sorted out." With that she again began sorting through the newly acquired files and Josh headed into the vault for a new stack. 

**********

Amanda looked one last time in the mirror before heading downstairs. The house was quiet and would continue to be until her two boys and mother returned from their respective trips in less than two weeks. The boys had left two days prior with their father on Spring Break. They were headed to Joe's parents' cabin just two hours north for an 'all guys vacation getaway'. At least that's what her youngest, Jamie had called it. She had no doubt the boys would have fun fishing, hiking and bonding with their dad. She wasn't sure if Joe was quite prepared for what two weeks with pre-teen boys entailed, but figured what didn't kill him would only made him stronger.

Her mother had decided to visit her sister in Maine while the boys were gone. "It will give you some time alone, dear. Maybe you can meet a nice young man while we're all out of the way. There'll be no one to worry about, so pamper yourself. It's not everyday you get the entire house to your lonesome." Amanda recalled the conversation she had with her mother on the way to dropping her off at the airport. _'Conversation, more like lecture,'_ she thought dryly.

As she made her way down the stairs, she heard the doorbell. _'Right on time, Josh'_. She opened the door and was surprised to see Josh standing there with a dozen white roses. 

"Oh my gosh."

"These are for you." He handed them to her shyly. 

"Thank you so much. They're lovely." She took them from him and opened the door wider to allow him entrance. "Come on in, let me just put these in water," she said, as she turned and headed into the kitchen. 

Looking over her shoulder to make sure he had followed her into the kitchen, she saw him pull out a stool and sit down to watch her.

Taking the vase out of the kitchen cupboard, she filled it with water and placed it on the island counter in front of them. She trimmed the ends of each flower and placed them in the vase. 

"So, where are we headed tonight?" She kept her eyes on the flowers in front of her smelling their sweet aroma. 

He picked up one of the fallen leaves off the counter and rolled it in between his fingers. "Um, I made reservations at La Caverna in Maryland. I hope you like Italian." He looked at her questioningly. 

"I love Italian!" She smiled trying to reassure him. 

"Great." He sighed with relief. 

"Okay, all set here," she announced, as she moved the flowers in the center of the island. "Shall we go?" 

**********

The ride home was quiet. Amanda found herself thinking about the first date that she was denied ever having with Lee. Their timing never was right. Whenever either made a move to further their relationship along, someone or something interrupted them. The cruelest interruption had come just a few short hours after their first real kiss. They had just wrapped up the Martinea case and walked into the Q Bureau when Lee announced that he wanted to get to know her better, just before he kissed her soundly on the lips. Fate had tried to interrupt them, but this time he would have nothing of it. He resolutely walked over to the door and turned the lock before Billy could open it. 

She saw the determination on his face and knew that they would finally be able to enjoy the feel of one another without interruption. That was until a few minutes later when the phone rang. It was Billy with a short assignment for Lee. Little did she know that that would be the first and last time she would feel his lips on hers. 

She was pulled from her reverie when the car came to a stop in the middle of her driveway. She hadn't meant to be so distant during the ride home. She had to admit she had a great time with Josh. He was easy to talk to and very attentive. After dinner they had gone to a small café for coffee and continued their pleasant conversation. When she noticed how late it had gotten she asked him to take her home. 

He came around to the passenger side and opened the door for her, then proceeded to help her out. She took his proffered hand as they made their way to the front door. Amanda turned to say goodnight but was caught off guard when she found his lips descending upon hers. The kiss was gentle and undemanding. It ended almost as quickly as it began. He smiled down at her and she returned it with one of her own. 

"I'm sorry, I've been wanting to do that all evening." He looked down at his shoes and then up at her. 

"It's okay. I didn't mind it so much." She joked to reassure him she wasn't offended. "I had a really nice time tonight, Josh. Thank you."

"No. Thank you, Amanda. Listen, do you think it'd be alright if I kissed you again?" 

She knew that she shouldn't be doing this. She loved Lee whether he was alive or…dead. _'But I need to move on with my life.'_ She thought. '_And doing that with your much younger partner isn't such a great idea.' _She countered.

She leaned up and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Why don't we take things slow, Josh?" She then patted the hand that was still holding hers. 

He smirked and nodded as he released her hand. "Goodnight, Amanda. I'll see you on Monday." 

"Okay, goodnight." With that she turned and went inside. 

**********

_Monday, April 20, 1987 _

"Are we sure it's really him, Billy?" She gave him a quizzical look as she handed him back the file.

"Yes, Francine, it's him alright! I don't see how he could have lasted in that prison without any hope of getting out, but it's him." 

"What did the Russians plan on doing with him?" She shuddered at the thought of what being imprisoned in a small, dank hole for months at a time would be like. It was a wonder he came out of it in as good of shape as he had. 

"That's just it. They didn't have plans for him except to let him rot in that hole they called a prison, which explains why we never received a ransom." 

"So, what do we do now?" Looking at the screen on Billy's wall, she watched as the man paced the small interrogation room. He looked like a caged animal, biding his time before he would be released into the wild. The man within the "would be" cage seemed to have aged more than just the mere year he had been missing. 

With the dark circles under his eyes and full beard that now adorned his face he looked ten years older than he really was. It was astonishing that the rookie stationed at Dulles recognized the once forgotten agent at all. 

"He's given us the proof that he is who he says he is and even completed his initial debriefing. So, now…we give him what he wants."

"Is she ready for this?"

"I don't think it matters at this point. We couldn't stop him if we wanted to. You saw him in there; he's like a wild animal." 

"What can I do?"

"Just continue working on those leads he provided in the debriefing. Get the initial information to Amanda and Joshua. I want them to continue delving into Kafelnikov's overseas operations. From the sound of things, they were on the right track all along. I want those responsible for this! And I want them **NOW**!" With that he walked out of his office towards the interrogation room where his once best agent restlessly waited. 

Upon his arrival, Billy waved the armed guard out of the room and quietly advised him he was relieved of his duty. 

Billy sat down and tried to get Lee Stetson to sit as well, gesturing towards the empty metal chair across from him. "Lee, please have a seat." 

Lee ran his hand through his hair and down into his beard. "Come on, Billy! I've told you everything you wanted to know. I want to see her now." His eyes pleaded with his superior's. 

It had been eleven months, four days and nineteen hours since he had last seen or spoken to his partner and best friend. Enough was enough. Did she even know he was back? Was she still working at the Agency? There were so many questions, yet no one seemed to want to give him the answers. He knew he had to go to her, see her with his own eyes, touch her with his own hands. The time he spent in the Russian prison was only bearable because she was with him in his mind - their last few moments together playing over and over in his head . The feel of her lips when they finally let the barriers down that kept them from becoming more than just partners, more than just best friends continued to linger on his. 

They had just finished up the Martinea/Krutiov case. He had told her how he wanted to get to know her better and that they had a lot to talk about.

He recalled the last words they spoke to one another as he left the Q Bureau that fateful afternoon._ "Billy has a quick assignment he wants to go over with me. I'll be right back." He said as he hung up the phone._ _"Wait for me?" _

_"Of course." She smiled that smile that was reserved only for him. _

_"How about I pick you up for dinner and dancing tonight? We can celebrate." _

"Sounds perfect." He was leaning against the door as she walked towards him. She pushed the files she was carrying against his chest as she edged him out the door. "Now shoo before Billy calls back up here wondering what I've done with you." 

_"You can do anything you want with me." He winked at her and gave her a quick kiss on the lips before heading down to the bullpen. _

Billy pulled him from his warm memories with a touch on his shoulder. Lee flinched not used to human contact for so long. "Sorry, son. I was wondering if you were all right. You seemed to zone out there for a moment."

"Yeah, sorry. Just remembering…" he trailed off not wanting to finish the sentence. 

"Perhaps it's best not to remember." His superior obviously thought he was having flashbacks from his recent ordeal. Little did Billy know, he was thinking of his Amanda. 

He hadn't had a chance to have flashbacks of the hell he went through. As soon as he escaped, he headed north to Finland's border. He reached the American Embassy there and was given passageway back to the States. Once he made it through Dulles, he was picked up by the Agency and brought to the Georgetown office. He was poked and prodded for most of the morning. He knew they had to be sure he was who he said he was, but it didn't make it any easier. 

He only knew he was happy to be home - away from the enemy and all the pain and hunger he experienced. They had just left him there to rot like a dead animal, only feeding him twice a day. On occasion he was given soup, which warmed him for a short time. They never even tried to extract information from him, which confused him, but at the same time, elated him. He wasn't sure how much he could have taken before he broke. He was so weak, so hungry. 

"So, where is she? Does she still work here? What's happened to her since I disappeared? Does she know–." He was cut off by Billy who was holding up his hand to ward off any more questions that Lee may have had. 

"Whoa, Lee. Please, one question at a time. She still works here, in the Q. She has…" Before he could finish his sentence Lee was up out of his chair and through the door. He was headed, no doubt, to his old office to see Amanda. 

Billy raced out of the room intent on heading Lee off before he walked into a situation that neither of his agents was ready for. Being a tad older than Lee, he was unable to keep up with him, even though the younger agent had been out of commission for the past year. 'No stopping a man on a mission,' Billy thought heartily to himself. "Who am I kidding? I couldn't stop him even if I **had** caught up with him." He walked back through the bullpen and was seized by two of his agents with questions on their assignments. 

**********

A file slipped off her desk. Reaching down to pick it up, she heard the door to the office open. "Francine, I'm not through with the Peterson Manufacturing file yet," she strained. "I told you I'd bring it down as soon as I'm through."

"I wasn't looking for any files." 

She recognized the deep baritone voice immediately. She was afraid to turn around. Afraid it would merely be a cruel dream, yet again.

When she did finally turn around, she was greeted with a warm, disarming smile - even if it was hidden underneath an overgrown beard. It was a smile she hadn't seen in so long. Well, outside of her dreams anyway. 

"Lee?" She managed to squeak out. Tears threatened to fall down her cheeks, but she held them in check. 

"Amanda, I've missed you so much." He quickly made his way to her and picked her up out of her chair and swung her around. 

"Oh, my gosh, Lee! Where've you been? Are you okay? Are you hurt?" She began a search for any broken bones. 

"Same old Amanda, still talking a mile a minute." He set her down but didn't let go of her hands. He kissed the back of each hand, then his hands made their way to her face. He held her head in his hands and stared into her eyes. It was as if he were taking complete inventory of her every feature. Making sure everything he remembered was still there…unharmed. 

"I promise I'll answer all of your questions, but first there is one thing I need to do, that I've wanted to do since I disappeared." He pulled her closer and bent his head down to kiss her lips. 

She, in turn, closed her eyes, not believing this was going to actually happen.

"What the hell is going on? Who is this guy, Amanda?" 

Lee turned to face the man coming out of the vault. "Who the hell are you?"

Both men looked to Amanda for answers. She could only look to the ceiling for help. "Oh, boy."

"Josh Martin this is my partner, Lee Stetson. Lee Stetson this is Josh Martin, also my partner." 

She could not have predicted the mayhem that transpired after those few short words. Both men were shouting at each other and looking to her for answers of which she had none. Her head began to pound and her legs felt weak below her. She moved across the room to sit on the sofa. She had two choices; she could let them kill each other or get them to be quiet long enough to talk some sense into them. 

As easy as choice number one sounded, she took the more difficult task of finding peace. She jumped off the sofa and yelled loud enough over their voices to get their attention. "Enough!" They both looked at her with an air of surprise. "Now, I suggest you try and act like the professionals I know you are, otherwise we'll get nowhere."

When she seemed to have gotten their attention, she sat back down and quietly asked Josh for some privacy. "Josh, could you give us some time alone? I have a lot of questions that need to be answered that only Mr. Stetson can provide." 

He gave her a weak smile and headed out the door, but not before casting an evil look at Lee. 

Lee gestured towards Josh, but Amanda grabbed hold of his hand and cast up a look that told him under no uncertain terms was he to move. He acquiesced as she pulled him down to join her on the sofa. 

"Lee."

"Amanda." They both said at once. 

"You go first."

"No, I insist." He gestured for her to continue.

"I was going to ask you where you've been. What happened to you?" She reached out to touch his face and he grasped her hand tightly. She wasn't sure if he was ever going to let it go. She only knew she didn't want him to. 

"Well, I don't know if you remember, but the day I disappeared I was called down to Billy's office to go over a routine assignment, a milk run even."

"I remember every single detail about that day. It plays over and over in my mind. I can't seem to make it stop." She looked up at him when she felt him squeeze her hand keeping her from reliving it all over again. 

"I know. I know. If I had any control in the matter I would have never left this office that day…left you."

"What did happen?"

"When I went to the park to meet my contact, I was jumped and felt a prick on the back of my neck. Everything went black after that."

She rubbed the back of his neck as if she could stop all that had happened over the past year with her touch. 

"When I came to, I was on a plane. I later found out that it was headed to Russia. They threw me in a cell and left me there for what seemed like days. When someone finally did show up, it was only to bring me some stale food and water."

He got up off the sofa and began pacing the room. She knew it upset him to relive those months he was held captive, if only by the way he ran his hand through his hair and beard. 

"I thought I'd be told why I was there, what they wanted from me. But, no one ever came, except Nikolai, the guard. He fed me twice a day and let me shower occasionally. I thought I would die there." With his last statement he looked up at her and she could see all the pain and anguish that he had experienced. 

She held out her hand to pull him over to her on the sofa. He slowly walked back to her and took her hand. As he eased back down beside her, she asked the burning question on her mind.

"Why, Lee? Why would someone want to do this to you?" 

"I don't know, but I'm sure as hell gonna find out!"

"**We're** gonna find out," she corrected. She smiled at him as he nodded his head. 

She could feel him stiffen. "So, Amanda? Who was your knight in shining armor earlier?" 

She knew that was coming. She'd hoped it would come later, much later. But, there it was nonetheless. "You mean Josh? He's my partner."

"I'm your partner," Lee quickly corrected.

She smiled shyly. "His name is Joshua Martin. He graduated from Station One about ten months ago. Billy assigned him to the Q Bureau shortly thereafter. He's been my…" She looked up and caught his glare then quickly amended her statement. "We've been working together ever since."

"I see." He removed his hand from her grasp and stood up to begin pacing again. 

"Lee, you know –" She was cut off before she could finish by the light knocking on the door. 

She looked up to see Josh pop his head in the door. "Sorry to interrupt, Amanda." He kept his eyes on her as he spoke. "Mr. Melrose wants to see **us** down in his office." 

After promising Lee she'd return as soon as her meeting was over, she headed down to the bullpen with Josh. 

**********

"What do you mean you have an assignment with him?" He fell back into what used to be his chair. 

"Lee, it's just a simple assignment. We go to the embassy party –" she was interrupted by his outburst.

"As a couple!" He blurted out. Not realizing at the time how utterly juvenile he sounded. 

"Yes, as a couple. It's no big deal, Lee. We do it all the time."

"Why can't I go instead of **him**?" He said the last word with much distaste. "And what do you mean you do it all the time?" She looked contrite. "This is my first night home and I was hoping we could spend it together…talking and getting reacquainted." 

"You heard Billy, and I happen to agree with him. You need your rest. You've been stuck in some God forsaken place for nearly a year. This case is very important to me. Besides, I want you to go come home with me, take a hot bath and settle in for the night."

"Home with you?" He questioned with slight lilt to his voice. Perhaps things were looking up.

"Yes, home with me. You realize your apartment is gone now. You only had it paid up until the first of the year. Billy and I packed up all your things and stored them with the hopes that you'd one day return."

"You and Billy, huh?"

"Well, okay. More like me. But the important thing is you haven't lost anything." She smiled reassuringly. 

"No, just my apartment, my car and the past eleven months of my life." He felt bad as soon as it left his mouth. He knew she was only trying to help and here he was making her feel bad. "Look, I'm sorry, Amanda. I know you're only trying to help. You're right; a nice hot bath sounds great. But I can't put you and your family out." 

"Nonsense. And you won't be putting us out. Besides, the boys are with their father for Spring Break for another week and a half. Mother is in Maine visiting my aunt and won't return until a week from Sunday. So, it's just me, and you won't be putting me out. Besides, I could use the company. The house is so quiet with everyone gone." 

He had to laugh when he heard her ramble on. It reminded him how much he had missed her. Quick flashes of nights spent in that cold dark hole with only the memories of his Amanda to keep him warm flooded his conscience. He was brought out of his thoughts when she touched his forearm. 

"Lee? Did you hear me?" 

"Hmm? I'm sorry. I was just thinking. I would love to stay with you, Amanda. Thank you. But, I promise to start looking for my own place right away."

"There's no rush, Lee. I'm more interested in getting you back to your old self. Now come on. Let's go home." She tugged his arm towards the office door and they headed down the stairs and through the foyer. 

Home. That word sounded wonderful to his ears. He wondered when he'd get the opportunity to talk with her about what happened with them right before he disappeared. What her relationship was with her so called new partner. And, what her feelings were towards rekindling their relationship. 

To Be Continued…


	2. Chapter 2

**_4247 Maplewood Drive_**

"I guess what they say is true." With the questioning look on her face he continued. "The more things change the more they stay the same."

"How so?"

"Well, just being here in your house, nothing seems to have changed. Your family is gone so I can come inside, but the minute they return I'll be sleeping out in the garage again." He laughed remembering the time he was relocated to the garage when her family unexpectedly returned home early from their camping trip. 

"Well, not this time. You can have Phillip and Jamie's room. It's at the top of the stairs-first door on the right. But now that you mention the garage…"

She trailed off heading out the back door towards the garage. He was curious so he followed her. 

She flipped on the light and then he saw it. "Just so you don't think you lost everything."

There it was, in all its splendor. "My car! You kept my car!" He picked her up and swung her around much like he'd done earlier. 

"Okay, okay! Let me down." She squealed. 

He slid her down until her toes touched the ground. Still keeping a firm hold around her waist, he pulled her tightly to him. He bent down to kiss her soft, full lips. She pulled away abruptly. "The phone." She ran back into the house to grab the ringing phone. 

He was left standing there in utter amazement. "What just happened? If it's not her family, it's the damn phone," he muttered.

He was just walking back into the house when he caught the tail end of her conversation. "Yes, Josh I'll be ready. Okay, see you then. Bye."

She turned around when she heard the back door close. "Sorry about that. I guess you were right earlier."

At his questioning look she continued. "The more things change…" She trailed off at the look of disgust on his face. 

"Why don't we get you up to your room and settled so you can take that hot bath?" She grabbed one of his bags and headed up the stairs before he could protest.

**********

He made his way downstairs after his hot bath. It had taken nearly an hour and a half to finally shave his beard off. While he was at it, he gave himself what his uncle would call a "high and tight". It was nice to get rid of all that hair. Lee was a man used to being nicely groomed and tailored. The Yeti look was not something he aspired to. 

When he arrived in the kitchen, he had one mission and one mission only - "Coffee." He opened the cupboard and pulled out the tin. A few minutes later, he sat back on the stool with a hot cup of coffee in one hand and the daily paper in the other. 'Might as well get reacquainted with the rest of the world,' he thought dryly. 

Several minutes later when he was deeply engrossed in the sports section, he heard rustling coming from the stairs. As he turned, he caught a glimpse of a vision in red. 

He nearly fell off his stool when he jumped up to investigate, almost knocking over his coffee cup in the process. As he came around the corner, he found her grabbing her wrap from the front entry closet. 

She turned when she heard him clear his throat. He thought he was prepared, but when she turned round his eyes locked on hers and he was speechless. 

"Cat got your tongue, Scarecrow?" She giggled as she breezed by him toward the den. The smell of her perfume lingering around him, nearly putting him in a trance before he finally got his bearings and followed her. 

She walked up to him and ran her hand over his short locks. "I like the new look." Her hand slid down to his now smooth face and she let it linger there a bit. Just as he reached up to clasp her hand with his, the doorbell rang. 

"Amanda – "

"Hold that thought." She left him to open the door. 

His frustration was growing by leaps and bounds now. He could hear her talking to Josh and it made his skin crawl. What did this guy think he was doing? Wasn't he a bit too young for her? The guy barely looked like he was out of diapers for crying out loud. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard them walk into the den. 

"Oh, hello, Mr. Stetson."

Lee could see the young agent was thrown off a bit at his presence in Amanda's home, so he decided to exploit that a bit. 

"Mr. Martin." He nodded. "Now do be a gentleman and have her home at a decent hour." His voice was even sickening to his own ears. 

Amanda gave him a look and he merely smiled at her showing her his dimples causing her to smile back. He knew she couldn't resist the Stetson dimples. 

"You know where the food is, so help yourself to whatever you find. If you need an extra blanket, you'll find them in the closet in the hallway upstairs."

"Right. Amanda, listen. Can I talk to you for a second…alone?" They both looked to Josh expectantly. 

"Yeah, sure. I'll just go wait out in the car for you, Amanda. Mr. Stetson." With that he nodded and left through the front door. 

"Lee, what's wrong?" He saw the look of worry sketched on her face.

"I just wanted to…" his voice trailed off as he looked into her eyes. Not for the first time, he saw all the beauty that lay there. Why had it taken him so long to see her as she truly was? She was a beautiful, sexy, vixen of a woman. Why after all that time, when he finally realized it, did he have to get kidnapped? Why did they have to lose so much time together and at such a crucial moment in their relationship? 

"Lee? Is something wrong?" 

"Nothing. I'm sorry to worry you. I just wanted to tell you to be careful." 

"I will, you know that." She reached for her wrap, but he grabbed it before she could.

She turned around so that he could place it around her shoulders. He let his hands caress her bare shoulders for a brief moment before she turned around to face him. He whispered in her ear. "You look beautiful." 

She looked up at him bright eyed and smiled her thanks. "You sure you're alright here alone?"

"Why, are you going to stay home with me?" He looked at her hoping she'd say yes. 

She giggled. "No, I just thought maybe you could call Billy and he could keep you company." 

"No, I'm fine. Just hurry back. We have a lot to catch up on." He hoped she would pick up on to what he was trying to say. She just smiled up at him and nodded.

As she made her way to the front door, he heard her say to lock up behind her. He snorted as he heard the door click shut. "Is she kidding? I'm a spy for cripes sake." 

**********

"Babysitter One, this is Scout, do you copy?"

"Copy, Scout." Amanda heard in her ear.

"We're moving into the entry way. No sign of our target."

"Just keep your eyes peeled. We have word from our source that he'll be there."

"Right. Scout out."

Josh pulled Amanda closer to him as they made their way down the elegant stairway of the Russian embassy. 

"You're Russian is a heck of a lot better than mine, so I'll let you do all the talking."

"You got it partner." She tensed at his choice of words. What was she doing here when her real partner was at home waiting for her? 

**********

Francine heard the light rapping on the outside of the catering van she was nestled in. It was the proper sequence, so she opened the door, only to find Scarecrow on the other side. "Are you crazy? What are you doing here? Do you know how much trouble you could get me in?"

"Calm down, Francine. I'll be out of here before anyone finds out."

"And just what is the big idea sneaking in here? What do you hope to accomplish besides blowing our case? Nice haircut by the way." She teased.

"Look, I just want to make sure my partner is safe, okay?" He looked around for the headphones that were sure to be there. Finding them on a nearby shelf he picked them up and put them on. He played with the buttons and dials on the system in front of him until he was able to get her signal. 

"She has a partner to do that for her now, Stetson. Or did you forget?"

"That teenager? Please, Francine! You know very well how much trouble Amanda King can get herself into. That wet behind the ears boy couldn't get her out of a wet paper bag. Now, will you be quiet so I can hear what's going on?" 

"You've been gone a long time, Scarecrow. You have no idea what your **ex**-partner is capable of anymore. But, you'll learn." 

"She's still my partner, Francine. As soon as I get reinstated, we'll be back to being Scarecrow and Mrs. King. Just you wait and -." He silenced himself when he heard Josh speaking in Russian.

"Привет. Я - Николэй Тереников, и это - моя жена Зоняа. Я полагаю, что мы находимся в списке гостя."

Lee mentally translated what the young agent had said to the security guard. 'Hello. I am Vladimir Tarinslovich and this is my wife Sonja. I believe we're on the guest list.' "Please, Amanda does not look like a Sonja." Francine just rolled her eyes and continued searching the grounds through her binoculars. 

"What's this case about anyway, Francine?" 

"Sorry, Scarecrow. Need to know."

"Fine." He pulled the headphones back on and was more determined to find any clues he could as to what his partner was involved in.

**********

"Okay, it's nearly ten o'clock. I'm going to head out to the balcony to meet our contact. Keep an eye out for our man and his goons."

"You got it, partner. But take my gun." He began to inconspicuously pull his gun from its holster. She put her hand on his to stop him. 

"I have my own." She smiled up at him. 

"Where on earth could you hide it wearing that?" He questioned looking at her from head to toe approvingly. 

She raised her brow and smiled mischievously. "I have my ways." She turned and walked away. 

**********

"She's carrying a gun?" He looked at Francine in surprise. "Isn't he gonna go with her? He can't let her do the drop on her own. What if something happens?"

"Relax, Lee. She can handle it. She's not the same helpless housewife you remember. She's finished her agency training and is a full agent now. She knows what she's doing. I can't believe I'm saying this but I trust her with my life." 

Lee looked on in utter shock. Was this true? Could Amanda be a top-notch agent? How could things have changed so much? Sure, she had great instincts and a logical mind but she hated using weapons. Well, she hated real weapons; she wasn't averse to using a lamp or a purse in a crunch, but when it came to guns it was a definite no. 

He sat up straight when he heard Amanda speaking to what he assumed was her contact. After he overheard the recognition sequence, he listened intently to see if he could learn anything about the case. 

"Mrs. King?" The man whispered in the chilled night. 

"Mr. Meadows?" She replied. "I trust you have the information you promised?" 

"Yes. But, do you think we could do the exchange somewhere else?" Lee started to worry that perhaps the man was followed but he didn't sound nervous. 

"Were you followed, Mr. Meadows?" Lee could here the catch in her voice and knew she was worried as well. 

"Oh, no, not at all. I just thought that perhaps you and I could go somewhere a little more private. You know to conduct our business." Lee began to get irritated at the line this guy was trying to pull on Amanda. He knew she was too nice to put this guy in his place. Where the hell was her so-called partner? 

"Mr. Meadows, I suggest you hand over the information now. I am not interested in playing any games with you now or ever." Lee had never heard her voice sound so serious and threatening. "And I suggest you remove your hand before I do it for you." 

"Gee, sorry. I was just trying to be friendly. Here's the stuff I promised." 

"Thank you, Mr. Meadows. Have a good evening," came the calm, cool reply from the once naive housewife. 

Lee looked to Francine. "Was that Amanda King?" He couldn't believe his ears she sounded so tough, so intimidating. 

"I told you! She can handle herself quite well." When Francine turned around to once again check the perimeter, Lee was certain he heard her mutter "Men!" 

**********

The night went on, and after several possible sightings, they were unsuccessful in spotting their target. 

"Amanda, would you care to dance once more before we leave?" He whispered in her ear. 

"Sure, Josh." She smiled up at him. She knew he'd make an excellent agent. She only hoped that she wouldn't bruise his ego too much when she told him there was no future for them other than friendship. 

He had been so patient with her. He knew she was more than just the famous Scarecrow's partner. He knew she had more of a personal stake in his disappearance. He watched as day after day she searched for him only to come up empty time and time again. He saw what each dead end cost her. Yet, he never seemed to give up hope that she would one day get over the Scarecrow. She was certain that as happy as she was when Lee had shown up in the Q Bureau, Josh was as equally unhappy if only for himself. Although, she knew that deep down he was happy for her.

He pulled her close and they swayed to the music. He dipped his head close to her ear and she felt his warm breath. "Any chance we can have a second date? I really had a great time the other night." His voice sounded hopeful even if his body language belied him. 

**********

He threw off his headphones. "That son of a –" Francine cut him off before he could finish.

"Look, Lee. Why don't you go home and get some sleep? You aren't doing anyone any good here. Besides, they'll be leaving in a few minutes, and if Amanda finds you out here, she'll go ballistic."

"Yeah, your right." He looked at Francine and shrugged his shoulders. 

He needed to get home before she did. He'd have a hell of a time explaining what he was doing tailing her. 

**********

"Where the hell is she? It's two o'clock in the morning!" He paced the floor between the den and the kitchen for what seemed like hours on end. 

"If he took her back to his place I'll…I'll kill him!" He ran his hands through his hair only to find there wasn't much there, which only frustrated him more.

After a few minutes more of pacing, he finally heard the front door open and close. He rushed over and flopped on the couch grabbing a magazine off the end table. 

As he absentmindedly thumbed through the pages, he heard her walk into the den. "So, how was your night?"

He turned when he heard her voice. "Oh, your home. It was quiet. How about yours?"

"Oh, fine."

The silence was deafening. 

She made her way over to the couch and sat down next to him. "You're up awfully late. I thought you'd be asleep." 

"Well, you know I just wanted to get caught up with the world so I started reading."

"I see." She lifted up the magazine lying in his lap to read the title. "And are you all caught up in the world of needle point?" She giggled. 

"Okay, very funny. Ha Ha. Where have you been?" All control he had on the situation quickly dissipated. "The party wrapped up at midnight. You should have been home hours ago!"

"You followed me?" He could hear the hurt and anger in her accusation. 

"I wanted to be sure you were alright. I'm glad I did! I sure got an earful from that so-called partner of yours. I'm surprised he had time to watch your back when he was so busy watching your rear. If you know what I mean." 

"I can't believe you said that!" She got up and walked around the other side of the room to the bookshelves. "Josh was a complete professional. Which is more than I can say for you."

"I thought you and I meant something to each other? Hell, you're the only reason I made it out of that hellhole. I thought I was coming home to you…to us." He trailed off. He stood in front of the French doors running his hand through his hair. 

"You think I want to be with Josh?" He turned to look at her and shrugged his shoulders. "What do you think I was doing tonight?" She looked at him expectantly.

"I don't know, Francine wouldn't tell me…need to know and all." He rolled his eyes. 

"I was trying to find the man who did this to you." She motioned to him with her hands.

"What?"

"Kafelnikov. We had word that he would be at the Russian embassy tonight."

"He never showed." He knowingly nodded. 

"No, he did. Just as we were leaving we spotted him in the parking lot. We followed him down to the docks. He's got something big cooking. Mr. Melrose has a team on him, any movement and we'll be notified." 

"Why didn't you tell me what was going on?"

"Because I was afraid if I did, you would follow me and get involved." He looked down at his feet. "Look, Lee. It's been a really long day. What do you say we go to sleep and continue this conversation over some coffee in the morning? You've got to be dead on your feet." 

"I want to know what is going on, I think I have a right." His face reddened at his last comment. 

"You do, you're right. But, can it please wait until morning?" 

He could see the sheer exhaustion in her face and relented. Nodding his head he smiled and motioned for the stairs. 

When they reached the top landing of the stairs he grabbed her hand, lightly stroking it. "Hey, you did good tonight. I was proud of you." He smiled down at her. "I guess some things have changed." 

She smiled broadly and squeezed his hand. "Goodnight, Lee. Sweet dreams." 

"Goodnight, Amanda."

**********

Amanda made her way downstairs and found that Lee was sitting at the breakfast table drinking coffee and reading the morning paper. 

"You're up awfully early."

"Couldn't sleep. Guess I'm not used to a comfortable bed," he joked. 

She smiled at him as she poured herself a cup of coffee. "Can I make you something to eat?" She already knew the answer but decided she'd at least try. 

"No, thanks. I had some toast earlier." 

She was about to comment on his change in breakfast habits when the ringing phone jolted her from her thoughts. 

"I'll get it." Amanda walked to the phone and picked it up.

"Hello? Hi, Josh." She looked up and caught Lee's eye. "Uh huh…when? Alright, I'm on my way." 

"Now what?"

"It looks like Kafelnikov is making his move. I'm headed down to the docks."

"Not without me you're not." 

**********

When they arrived at the docks they pulled up next to the Agency van a few blocks from the warehouse where Kafelnikov and his men were hiding out. Billy and Francine were standing outside the back of the van talking to Josh as they got out of the truck. 

"Oh, good, Amanda. You're here." Billy waved her over. He grimaced when he saw Lee pull himself from the passenger seat. "Scarecrow! What do you think you're doing here?" 

Amanda inwardly cringed knowing the heat she would receive from Billy for allowing him to come. "I'm sorry, sir. It's my –," Lee cut her off before she had a chance to finish. 

"It's my fault, Billy. I insisted on coming along." 

"Oh, I don't doubt that for a minute, Stetson. But, you're still sitting in the van while this thing plays out. You are in no condition to do anything but blow this."

"But, I-," Billy cut him off before he could protest.

"Not a word, Scarecrow! In the van." He sternly pointed to the van for emphasis. 

"Now that we have that settled," Francine rolled her eyes as she continued, "With the information you picked up last night at the embassy, we were able to get a search warrant for Kafelnikov's warehouse. It's just up a ways on the right. We have three teams in position waiting for your word to move, Amanda. Once you're inside and in position give the word and we'll move in."  
  
"Amanda? Why is she going in first?" Lee demanded. 

"Because it's my case, Lee. You know the protocol." She gave him a disapproving look but continued on. "Do we know how many men are inside, sir?" 

"Night watch counted twelve to fifteen including the big man himself. No heroics in there. Get in and get out. We want to make sure we have an accurate head count and that the weapons are there before we bust in."

"Got it." Josh and Amanda replied in unison. Lee didn't miss the smiles that passed between the two. 

"Okay, let's go. Good luck, you two." He patted Amanda on the shoulder and headed into the van. Lee reluctantly followed behind. 

Lee watched helplessly as Amanda and Josh headed covertly towards the warehouse. He heard a slight rustling and then Amanda's voice clearly throughout the van. 

"Babysitter One, this is Scout, do you copy?"

"Scout, you are coming in loud and clear. Good luck!" Francine nodded to Billy that everything was a go after receiving word from all three teams already in place. 

Lee sucked in air to keep from bursting out of the van after his partner. He knew he needed to remain calm. Amanda obviously knew what she was doing. She had come a long way from the naïve housewife he picked out of a crowd on a cool October morning nearly four years ago. She had a good head on her shoulders, and she didn't take unnecessary risks. Everything was going to be fine. 

"Babysitter One, this is Scout. We may have a situation here. They are more heavily guarded than our intel led us to believe. We've counted fourteen men already, sir, just along the outside perimeter." Lee could here Josh speaking to Amanda quietly. They were obviously close enough to the outside perimeter to be spotted. 

"I'm heading around back to see if we can get a shot inside." He could hear Josh tell Amanda. "Wait, Josh. No. We need to wait for backup." Amanda's words obviously didn't faze the rookie agent. "Josh, get back here. It's too dangerous!" She whispered. 

Lee began to shift in his seat. Things were quickly getting out of hand. 

"Babysitter One, Scout requesting backup. Agent Martin has headed to the rear of the perimeter. Send additional supp-," her voice was drowned out by the sound of gunfire erupting. 

Lee started for the door but was stopped when he heard Billy's voice. "Scarecrow, don't even think about it!" Lee looked pleadingly at Billy. "But, I have to help her." 

"She'll be fine, Lee. Francine, get those teams in there now." 

"Already on it, Billy." 

Lee sighed. He couldn't just sit here while she was inside risking her life to bring the man that kidnapped him to justice. 

A loud cracking sound silenced the passengers in the van. They soon heard shouting and what sounded like people running. "Hold it right there, unless you want to be part of the wall!" Lee was both relieved and scared to hear her voice. She was okay but for how long?

"Babysitter One, you can pick up some garbage in the far east corner. I'm heading further in for Kafelnikov."

"Copy that, Scout."

A few moments of silence was quickly ended when they heard what sounded like a large metal door open. "Give it up, Kafelnikov. It's over." Amanda's voice sounded harsh. 

"Ah, Mrs. King. I thought I extinguished the one agent that could stop my operation when I kidnapped your partner, the Scarecrow. I guess it's true, behind every great man there is a woman."

"You underestimated him, just like you underestimated me. Now put your weapon down, nice and easy." 

"Do as she says, buddy." Josh's voice was heard from the opposite direction. Just then a shot was fired and then another. 

In the van the silence was deafening. All three passengers waited for some sort of sign. 

"Scout, do you copy? I say again, Scout, do you copy?"

Only silence. Then there was a loud rustling. "Babysitter One, agent requests ambulance. Suspect down." Amanda was breathing heavy into her microphone. 

Lee let out the breath he had been holding. Billy looked back at him and smiled. Lee couldn't help but smile broadly back at him. _'That a girl!'_

**********

"Nice work." Billy nodded to Amanda and Josh. "We need to talk about your inability to follow orders, young man." Billy scolded, looking mildly perturbed at the rookie agent. 

"Yes, sir." He looked meekly at Billy then Amanda. 

"So, what exactly happened up there?" Francine asked.

"Well, once I announced my presence, Kafelnikov raised his gun to fire at me but Amanda was quicker and shot the gun right out of his hand. It was an amazing shot." He smiled proudly at his partner. 

Amanda could only blush and look shyly to her feet. 

"Nice shooting, Amanda." 

"Thanks, Francine."

"Alright, lets get back to the Agency for your debriefings and preliminary reports." 

Lee shook his head at the thought of the morning's events. It all seemed so surreal to him. He realized life moved on without him. The question was would he be able to find his place again?

He felt Amanda's hand on his forearm and looked at her. "Let's get you home so you can rest, then I'll head into the office for a bit. There's no sense of you waiting around all day for me." 

He nodded as he made his way toward her vehicle. 

**********

He just finished putting the finishing touches on the dining room table when he heard her truck pull into the driveway. He had made a special meal for them to enjoy with the hopes of getting a few uninterrupted moments alone to discuss their future. 

"Hi, there!" He heard her unmistakable voice declare. 

"Hi, yourself." 

"What smells so good?" She looked towards the kitchen as she took her coat off. 

"No peaking!" He turned her around to make her wait in the den. "It's nearly ready. Have a seat." 

A few minutes later he came and offered her his hand as he lifted her from the couch to head into the dining room.

"Oh, my gosh! Look at all this. It's beautiful! Oh, Lee. The flowers are absolutely gorgeous." She fingered the leaves of the long stemmed red roses. 

"Read the card." 

She picked the card out of the bouquet and quietly read aloud. "Amanda, to the future. Love, Lee." She looked at him with tears in her eyes. "It's wonderful," she squeaked out obviously trying to hold back her tears. 

"Let's eat!" He guided her to the table then pulled out her chair for her.

"Thank you." 

"Would you care for some wine, beautiful lady?"

"I would love some."

After he poured their wine he began serving dinner. He had made Filet Mignon with fresh steamed vegetables. 

They completed there dinner with minimal conversation. Both seemed to be doing some inward thinking. 

As they cleared the dishes from the table and loaded the dishwasher they stole glances at each other, neither knowing quite what to say. 

"Would you like some coffee with dessert?" 

"That sounds wonderful."

After slicing the chocolate cake and pouring their coffee, they made their way into the den. Placing the tray on the coffee table, they each readied their coffee. 

Amanda sipped her coffee as Lee continued to stir his. He was reluctant to start this conversation, but knew it had to be done. 

"Are you gonna tell me why you pushed yourself so hard out there?" He looked up from stirring to look deep into her eyes hoping to find the answer there. 

"You were too weak to do anything and…and I couldn't lose you again. I needed to make sure that the man that did this to you…to us, was put away where he could never take you away from me again. I can handle myself now, Lee."

"I know! I saw. I was so proud of you, Amanda! Worried as all hell, but proud." 

She smiled broadly at his statement. 

He put his coffee down and took hers, placing it in front of her on the table so he could grasp her hand. He crooked his finger under her chin and tilted her head up to look into her eyes. "I love you." 

"I just couldn't lose you again. I only just got you back." She rushed as she began to tear again. "And, I love you too!" She laughed. 

He bent down to kiss her and this time, come hell or high water, he was going to do it. There lips met in a tentative kiss. Then he felt her hand caressing the back of his neck and he threw all caution to the wind. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her tightly to him. His other hand ran through her soft brown curls. Pulling back to gauge her reaction, he saw the undying love in her eyes that he knew was mirrored in his. 

There second kiss was much more fierce. It was four years in the making with the last year seeming like ten. When they came up for air they smiled lovingly at one another, astonished that they weren't interrupted. "Here's to times finally changing." 

"Here, here!" She said as she pressed her lips to his once again. 

The End.


End file.
